Dealing with the Arabs

Ministers and officials are required to be seen and not heard, except when specifically authorised to speak publicly while accompanying the Prime Minister on official visits abroad. It is a pity that Mr Shashi Tharoor chose to pontificate on substantive issues even before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met Saudi Arabia’s monarch, King Abdullah, in Riyadh, stirring up avoidable controversy during this important bilateral visit.

Saudi Arabia is the largest oil producer in the world, located in a turbulent region from where two-thirds of the world’s oil supplies come. Around 1.8 million Indians live in Saudi Arabia and contribute to the $ 55 billion that Indian expatriates remit annually. Moreover, Saudi Arabia has agreed to a strategic partnership with India which will cover not only enhanced oil supplies but also promote closer ties in areas ranging from defence and space technology to investment in our petrochemical sector, apart from exchange of information on terrorism and money-laundering.

The India-Saudi Arabia summit took place amid new tensions and rivalries in the Gulf region, arising from the deep suspicions that have characterised Persian-Arab rivalries over the centuries. The American invasion of Iraq and the replacement of a Sunni minority Government by a majority Shia-led coalition under Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki have added a new element of bitter Shia-Sunni antagonism to existing Persian-Arab differences.

The Shia majority Government in Iraq complains of Saudi attempts to destabilise it by backing the Sunni-dominated Baath Party found by Saddam Hussein. It has also complained of the attitude of its other Arab Sunni neighbours, Egypt and Jordan. Iran alleges mistreatment of its Haj pilgrims and support for its Opposition by Saudi Arabia.

In Northern Yemen, Saudi Arabian and Yemeni forces are battling an insurgency by Yemen’s Houthi Shias, evidently backed by Iran. Under pressure from Saudi Arabia and Egypt, Arabsat has discontinued facilities for Iran’s Arabic language news and television networks beamed to Arab countries. Fearing Iran, the six-nation Arab Gulf Cooperation Council is allied to the US, which is determined to contain Iran’s regime.

Exacerbating these tensions are concerns arising from Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Despite Iranian denials, its nuclear programme is evidently designed to give it a nuclear weapons capability and keep its nuclear options open. Given the hostility of the Iranian regime to Israel, fomented by intemperate statements by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad that Israel should be “wiped off the map”, Israel has threatened to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities.

For the past five months, the US, backed by the UK, France and Germany, has endeavoured to get the UN Security Council to impose “crippling sanctions” on Iran through measures like banning the sale of refined petroleum products to that country. They have also proposed sanctions that would cover Iran’s Central Bank and a number of firms and individuals linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards, apart from its shipping, insurance and banking industries. Faced with opposition from Russia and China, the US would inevitably be forced to water down its proposals. Moreover, within the Security Council countries like Brazil and Turkey have made it clear that they do not favour “crippling sanctions” against Iran.

It is not just Israel and the US that are concerned at Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Saudi Arabia and Iran’s other Arab GCC neighbours do not relish the prospect of a nuclear Iran. Moreover, unlike Iran, Saudi Arabia has taken a constructive approach towards a peace settlement in West Asia, which would guarantee Israel’s right to exist in security, side by side with a viable Palestinian state.

Given this background, Mr Manmohan Singh and King Abdullah had no difficulty in agreeing on the need for a ‘two-state solution’ to the West Asian impasse — an issue on which India and Iran have little common ground. While Arab States may make pro forma noises about India’s relations with Israel, the reality is that most of them, including Saudi Arabia, have either overt or covert links with the Jewish state.

But, the issue of Iran’s nuclear programme will not go away and New Delhi will have to keep a close eye on possibilities of Saudi Arabia and others seeking a nuclear umbrella from their Sunni ally, Pakistan. Saudi Arabia’s Defence Minister Prince Sultan has visited Pakistan’s nuclear facilities in Kahuta and the redoubtable AQ Khan has been effusively welcomed in the past in Riyadh.

There has to be a measure of realism in India’s relations with major powers in the Gulf region. Despite the best intentions of King Abdullah, concerns do remain about funding of Wahaabi oriented radical Islamic organisations across South Asia by Saudi ‘charities’ and the kingdom has not exactly shown understanding of Indian sensitivities by stewarding OIC moves on Jammu & Kashmir.

Moreover, while India and Saudi Arabia have expressed support for the values enshrined in the Constitution of Afghanistan, it has to be remembered that the kingdom had backed the Taliban and changed its position only because Mullah Omar remained closely allied to Osama bin Laden. One should not presume that Saudi Arabia will remain averse to a return of the Taliban if Mullah Omar is marginalised and the Taliban’s links with Osama bin Laden terminated.

Given the anxiety of Nato countries in Afghanistan to strike a deal with the Taliban, it is imperative that New Delhi retains close ties with Tehran, which shares its aversion for any return of Taliban extremism to Kabul. Finally, Iraq is aiming to increase its oil production from two million barrels per day to 12 million barrels per day in coming years, with Karbala and Najaf re-emerging as major centres of influence in Shia Islam. We have been less than pro-active in building relations with the post-Saddam dispensation in Iraq.

New Delhi no longer has the luxury of remaining aloof from these developments in its western neighbourhood, as it will be compelled to take positions on these issues when it becomes a non-permanent member of the Security Council later this year. India can position itself to play a more pro-active role in the oil-rich Gulf region by more imaginative diplomacy in coming years. Much more can and should be done for increasing our investment and participation in the exploration, production and utilisation of the oil and gas resources in our western neighbourhood.

India’s strategic location in the Indian Ocean and proud martial traditions will make it a dominant player in South Asia and the Middle East in the next 25 years, a Pentagon report has said.

US Joint Forces Command in its latest report of emerging geopolitical and technological trends, which estimates their potential impact on future military operations, said it will likely have a role to play as America encourages the growth of India as a regional and even global power.

“India has a special place in the future international environment. Few countries in the world may figure as prominently in future US strategic calculations,” a ‘Joint Operating Environment (JOE) 2010’ report released on Tuesday said.

“India’s military will receive substantial upgrades in the coming years. That fact, combined with its proud martial traditions and strategic location in the Indian Ocean, will make India the dominant player in South Asia and the Middle East,” the report said.

In the next 25 years, the report said relative balance of power between states will shift, some growing faster than the US and many states weakening relative to the US.

Noting that India could more than quadruple its wealth over the course of the next two decades, but large swaths of its population would likely to remain in poverty through the 2030s, it said “like China, this will create tensions between the rich and the poor.”

Such tension, added to the divides among its religions and nationalities, could continue to have implications for economic growth and national security, the report said.

India would grow by 320 million during the next quarter of a century. The tensions that arise from a growing divide between rich and poor could seriously impact its potential for further economic growth, it added.

“While China’s rise represents the most significant single event on the international horizon since the collapse of the Soviet Union, it is not the only story.

Steady, if not rapid, economic growth appears to be the norm for much of the world over the coming decades, providing that sufficient energy remains available to fuel that growth and the financial crisis can be resolved,” it said.

“Russia and India are both likely to become richer, although Russia’s strength is fragile, resting as it does on unfavourable demographic trends, a single-commodity economy based on hydrocarbon extraction, and a lack of serious investment in repairing its crumbling infrastructure,” the report said.

2010-08-08 22:37:45
WAM Cairo, 8th Aug. 2010 (WAM) -- Vijaya Latha Reddy, secretary of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, commended her country's relations with the Arab World, saying the UAE was India key trade partner in 2009.
Speaking during talks with Husham Yusouf, director general of the Arab League Secretary General's Office, the Indian official hoped Indian-Arab bonds would scale new heights in various political, economic, cultural and social spheres.
She affirmed India's support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.
She said India was interested in investment and import of energy sector in the Arab World.
The Arab League official indicated that Indo-Arab trade exchange stood at $ 110 billion in 2009.
He informed the Indian official of the Arabs' gratitude to India for the assistance it delivered to the Palestinian people and its positive stance towards the Palestinian Cause.
WAM/TF

Professor K.N. Panicker, one of India's foremost historians and vice-chairman of the Higher Education Council of Kerala, said India and the UAE could co-operate with each other to preserve and utilise that historical knowledge.

Abu Dhabi: India has three million Arabic documents in its archives, which proves there has been dynamic learning of Arabic in the country for centuries, an eminent Indian historian told an audience in Abu Dhabi.
Professor K.N. Panicker, one of India's foremost historians and vice-chairman of the Higher Education Council of Kerala, said India and the UAE could co-operate with each other to preserve and utilise that historical knowledge.
The professor was speaking in the Indian Embassy auditorium on Saturday evening about "New Initiatives in Higher Education in India and Their Implication for the Gulf Countries".
He said education was not limited to gaining knowledge and having a career but also to a society's national and cultural identity.
"Therefore it is more conducive to the strengthening of national and cultural identities of Indians and people in the Gulf to enter into educational exchange because their histories contain so many common experiences, common perceptions and the legacy of colonialism," he said.
About 90 per cent of school students in the Gulf countries went on to obtain a higher education whereas in India only 10 per cent of eligible students received the chance for a higher education, Panicker said.
India was undergoing a revolution in its higher education sector, he said. The 11th five-year plan has allocated 9.5 per cent more money for higher education than the previous plan, he said.
India will soon set up 14 innovation universities and 10 central universities. The seats in the Indian Institute of Technology and Indian Institute of Management will also be increased, he said. And the National Knowledge Commission planned to set up 1,500 universities, he said.
Indian's new initiatives in higher education

14 innovation universities
10 central universities
1,500 more universities in future
9.5 per cent more money allocated in the 11th five-year plan
More seats in world famous IITs and IIMs.
Removing divisions between disciplines
Interaction with Nobel Laureates as part of education reforms

An Indian state has invited 14 Nobel Laureates from various disciplines to its universities to interact with teachers and students, Dr. K.N. Panicker said.
This initiative in Kerala would give brilliant students a new experience, he said. Two Nobel laureates had already visited the state, and their visit had made a huge impact on students and teachers, he told Gulf News.

The petrochemicals and chemicals industry in the Gulf has registered a strong protest against a move by India to apply anti-dumping duties on polypropylene exports from Oman and Saudi Arabia.

Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA), citing a 'Disclosure Report' issued by India recently, said the government had decided to apply anti-dumping measures against polypropylene exports from two gulf countries - Oman and Saudi.

Dr Abdulwahab Al-Sadoun, secretary general of the Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA), said,'This decision is not justified as GCC companies are neither dumping products in India nor causing injury to the country's petrochemical industry.'

'The Indian authorities had decided to take the unprecedented approach of rejecting the local price of feedstock used to manufacture polypropylene since the price when sold in Saudi is â€œconsiderably lowerâ€ than the price available in India,' he noted.

Sadoun explained that for obvious commercial reasons, including proximity to the source and low local production and distribution costs, the price of feedstock in Saudi Arabia, as in the Gulf region generally, was more competitive than in countries like India.

He pointed out that the methodology applied by India would clearly not stand up to scrutiny under WTO rules.

'WTO rules do not allow India to use anti-dumping measures to protect its industry from fair trade from competitive producers in the Gulf region that are not dumping their products and are not injuring the Indian industry,' he added.

Sadoun said that he was surprised by the Indian government's move 'given its desire to improve economic ties with Gulf countries and considering the massive investments and employment of Indian nationals in the region.'

The GPCA chief called upon the Indian Government to reconsider the decision before it 'affected economic relations with the Gulf region.'

'With this move, there is a concern that many aspects of business and trade between the GCC and India will be impacted,' he added.

Meanwhile, the GPCA chief said the association will hold consultations with regional governments and seek their support.-TradeArabia News Service

MUSCAT: The Indian Embassy is working hard to introduce new measures and initiatives including universal attestation of contracts by the embassy and payment of salaries directly into the bank accounts for housemaids as well as blue collar workers.

â€œIn the coming months the embassy will take these up seriously with the Omani authorities,â€ says Anil Wadhwa, Indian Ambassador to the Sultanate.

In connection with the 63rd Indian Independence Day, Wadhwa spoke to Times of Oman on a series of issues. In this interview, he talks about labour issues related to Indian migrants.

In view of the revised labour laws, what is the Indian Embassy doing to create pre-departure awareness about the laws to the destination country? What role is the Indian Embassy playing to prevent illegal recruitment and human trafficking?

When the labour laws in Oman were amended, this embassy had duly informed the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs. MOIA disseminated the information to all the state governments and other organisations. MOIA has an ongoing awareness programme to prevent illegal recruitment and human trafficking. They also issued an advisory which is available on their website. Both the countries â€” India and Oman â€” are against illegal recruitment and human trafficking. Whenever any such case comes to our knowledge, we inform the authorities in Oman and India and strict action is taken against the culprits. I am happy to tell you that over the last three years we have taken some useful steps towards controlling illegal recruitment and human trafficking in Oman.

Is any scheme being worked out for the benefit of blue collar workers from India, who are recruited in the Sultanate?

Government of India is doing everything to benefit the workers who are working abroad including those who are in the Sultanate of Oman. As you are aware a memorandum of understanding was signed between India and Oman in the field of manpower on November 8, 2008 during prime ministerâ€™s visit to Oman in order to institutionalise ways for ensuring the safety and protection of Indian migrants.

As per the provisions of the MOU, a joint committee has been formed and this committee held its first meeting in June 2010 in New Delhi. We have discussed various new measures and initiatives including universal attestation of contracts by the embassy and payment of salaries directly into the bank accounts. In the coming months the embassy will take these up seriously with the Omani authorities.

What about minimum wages for the blue collar workers?

Though a minimum wage has been fixed for housemaids, it is yet to be decided for blue collar workers. When we decide it will be different wages for different categories of workers. For example for the mason it will be more than regular labours. But that is the last step in the process. We must remember that there is a question of demand and supply in the market. If we are too rigid with minimum wages we will have violations and we wonâ€™t be able to cope with that. We are talking to the Ministry of Manpower about what is the realistic level to set the wages and the ministry also has a committee of employers so they are talking to the employers who are advising them.

Has the embassy been successful in sending back the overstayers under the amnesty programme announced by the Omani government? Is there anything that the embassy is doing to get those who didnâ€™t register till now?

About 15,000 Indian nationals have completed their finger printing procedure and 12,000 Indian nationals have already left the country. Those who registered have clearly availed the benefit of amnesty scheme. Others will have to pay fine if they have not. We have made continuous efforts in this regard and so have the volunteers. Many have left on their own or have been regularised.

MUSCAT -- Opportunities abound for mutually beneficial partnerships between the newly unveiled free zone at Sohar and the rapidly industrialising Gujarat State on India's west coast, according to a top executive of Freezone Sohar LLC.

Jamal T Aziz (pictured), Chief Executive Officer of Freezone Sohar, said he gauged strong synergies between Freezone Sohar and Gujarat that could be exploited for either country's economic benefit. He made the comments at an Investor Meet hosted by the Indian Embassy on behalf of a visiting delegation from Gujarat, at InterContinental Muscat yesterday.

"We have always felt there are a lot of synergies that can be exploited between Sohar and Gujarat," Jamal said, citing geographical proximity and the longstanding business links between Oman and the west Indian state.

The CEO mooted the idea of linkages between Freezone Sohar and Gujarat wherein products made in one place could be value added or further processed in the other, depending upon the target market of the finished goods. Thus, for example, goods targeted at the Gulf and Middle East could be produced in Gujarat and value added at facilities in Sohar. Conversely, products destined for the Indian sub-continent could be manufactured at facilities in Freezone Sohar and value added in Gujarat, he explained.

"In a sense, Sohar can serve as an extension of Gujarat, while Gujarat serves as an extension of Sohar, depending upon which market is being targeted," Jamal, who has visited Gujarat on several occasions, stated.

In this regard, he cited the example of India's engineering conglomerate Larsen & Toubro (L&T) which operates fabrication facilities both at Sohar and Gujarat.

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L&T undertakes some fabrication jobs at its facilities in Sohar, which are then shipped to Gujarat for completion. "This is the kind of synergy, I believe, is worth exploring with the goal of applying it to other industries as well."

He also underlined prospects for investments in industries downstream to the base projects currently in operation at the nearby Port of Sohar. Opportunities for investments in metals based manufacturing and fabrication ventures are significant in light of the availability of iron ore feedstock from the giant pelletisation plant of Vale under construction of Sohar. Later in comments to the Observer, Jamal said he envisioned good prospects for business linkages between the two sides, not only in manufacturing, but also in logistics, food processing, agro-processing, healthcare, and education services.

He voiced optimism that the imminent promulgation of a new free zone would boost investor interest in Freezone Sohar, particularly from Gujarat-based businesses.

Another factor that would help put a favourable spotlight on the free zone is the presence of India's SKIL Infrastructure Limited as a strategic partner in Freezone Sohar. SKIL's vast network in India and the highly regarded reputation of its top executive, Nikhil Gandhi, bodes well for Freezone Sohar's investment appeal, he noted.

Jamal said a forthcoming investment forum, dubbed 'Vibrant Gujarat' and slated to be held in Gujarat next January, could serve as a good starting point to explore potential partnerships with Indian investors.

"Our interest is to create a synergy between the Sohar and Gujarat. We will certainly look at this event in Gujarat because it could be a good stepping stone for us, at least to get some partnerships reach a certain level of maturity by the time that event happens."

Last week, Sohar Free Zone LLC, which is overseeing the development of the massive scheme, signed a contract with a UAE firm for the development of civil infrastructure and utility services covering a 500-hectare area, representing the first phase of the 4,500-hectare project.

2010-09-28 19:40:00
Dubai, Sep 28 (IANS/WAM) Top officials from India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) met here Tuesday and discussed human rights issues affecting the Indian community in the region.

Indian Ambassador M.K. Lokesh visited the headquarters of the Emirates Human Rights Association (EHRA) here and met with its general secretary, Mohammed Hussein Al Hammadi.

The two officials discussed possibilities of cooperation between the Emirates and India to better serve the Indian community in the region and on raising awareness on human rights issues.

29 September 2010 abu dhabi â€” A business mission comprising leading Abu Dhabi-based investors will visit India early next year to explore investment opportunities in different sectors of its fast growing economy.
The mission is part of Indiaâ€™s efforts to attract investments from Abu Dhabi, which is home to worldâ€™s leading institutional and private investors.

Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI) will organise the visit expected to take place early next year, to explore possibilities of investment in both countries.

In this connection, a preparatory meeting was held between the Chairman of Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, or ADCCI, Mohammad Thani Al Rumaithi and the Indian Ambassador to the UAE M K Lokesh in which both sides exchanged views on the current business trends and reviewed the market scenarios in the two countries.

Commenting on the proposed visit, Indiaâ€™s Ambassador to UAE M K Lokesh said that the UAE has been one of the major business partners of India for a long time and â€œwe want to further strengthen it and take it to next level.â€

The ADCCI has shown great enthusiasm towards Indian market and the opportunities available there and now we will be planning and finalising the schedule of the visit soon, the ambassador said.

M K Lokesh said â€œthe idea is to give the business leaders of Abu Dhabi, an overview of the emerging business opportunities in Asiaâ€™s third biggest economy and facilitate networking with Indian business houses.â€

Yusuffali M A, a director of the ADCCI, who was also present in the meeting, said: â€œI want the major groups from both countries to explore new joint ventures in different sectors of the economy, as business opportunities are enormous.â€

He said that the plan is to visit major business hotspots like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Kerala and hold high level meetings with the top government officials and trade bodies like Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) along with heads of major business groups.

With strong all round growth and share market posting positive gains, India is one of the top performing economies of the world attracting huge foreign investments in a multiple of business sectors including telecom, infrastructure, automobile, travel & tourism and retail.

The huge population and expanding middle class coupled with governmentâ€™s liberalised economic policies are ideal for GCC investments into India in near future, said Yusufali. â€¨â€” [email protected]

Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) today offered Kuwaiti national oil firm a stake in its Rs 19,500 crore mega petrochemical project in Gujarat, even as the oil-rich Gulf nation expressed a desire to bid with Indian firm in the forthcoming round of NELP.

"We discussed strategic partnership of Kuwait Petroleum Corp (KPC) in ONGC Petro-additions Ltd (OPaL)," ONGC Chairman and Managing Director R S Sharma said after delegation level talks between visiting Kuwaiti Oil Minister Sheikh Ahmad al-Abdullah al-Sabah and Petroleums Minister Murli Deora.
ONGC has 26 per cent stake in OPaL, gas utility GAIL 19 per cent and Gujarat State Petroleum Corp (GPSC) 5 per cent. The rest 50 per cent is to be made up of strategic investor and financial institutions who are yet to be decided. The project is being targeted for completion in early 2013.

KPC's participation in ONGC Mangalore Petrochemicals Ltd,(OMPL)the firm building a Rs 5,750 crore aromatic complex within Mangalore SEZ by end of 2012 was also discussed.

ONGC has 46 per cent stake in OMPL and its subsidiary Mangalore Refinery another 3 per cent while the rest 51 per cent is yet to be tied-up.

Al-Sabah said Kuwaiti participation in the projects would depend on due diligence and feasibility of the projects.

On its part, Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exporation Co(Kufpec), a subsidiary of KPC, evinced interest in partnering ONGC in bidding for blocks to be offered for exploration of oil and gas in the 9th round of New Exploration Licensing Policy, likely to be launched on October 15.

Also discussed during the talks was Indian companies' interest of setting up a fertiliser plant in Kuwait possibly in joint venture with Petrochemicals Industries Company (PIC) and KPC.

GAIL's interest in setting up a gas-based petrochemical and gas processing plants in Kuwait and Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd's interest in marketing of lubricants and base oil in the Gulf nation was discussed.

Al-Sabah however made no commitments saying the proposals would be discussed by technical people.

Deora said India imports 11.8 million tonnes of crude oil annually from Kuwait and is looking at increasing the volumes if supplies are made on long term contract.

Kuwait said it will consider raising long-term crude supplies to India if its own vessels are used for such supplies.

"India should look into using our ships in taking oil from Kuwait," Al-Sabah said.

On India offer for allowing Kuwait to store its crude oil in strategic stockpile being built at Mangalore and Vizag, he said "we will consider that subject to certain conditions."

Ausaf Sayeed, the newly-appointed Indian Ambassador to Islamic Republic of Yemen, says he will work towards setting up a Yemeni Consulate in Hyderabad.

15th Sep, 2010: Newly-appointed Indian Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Yemen, Ausaf Sayeed, stated on Tuesday that he would talk to the Yemeni authorities on the establishment of a Yemeni Consulate in Hyderabad.

Ausaf said he would use his position as an Ambassador to press for the Consulate with the Yemeni authorities. He said he would assume charge of his new post as an Ambassador to Yemen on September 19th.

The Ambassador also expressed his determination to work for the upgrading of economic commercial and cultural ties between the 2 countries.

Addressing a felicitation program organised by the Urdu weekly Gawah at Grand Plaza Nampally, Ausaf revealed that his ancestors, too, hailed from Yemen.

Ausaf said that he hailed from the regal family of a famous Yemeni tribe. He stated that though he felt that his ancestors belonged to Yemen, he had no contact with the family of his ancestors. But now the new assignment provided him an opportunity to trace his origin, he said.

The Ambassador stated that he had held negotiations with the Yemeni authorities on the establishment of a Consulate at Hyderabad, and that the authorities had assured him to give it a positive consideration.

Currently, there is a Yemeni Embassy in New Delhi, and a Consulate in Mumbai.

Mentioning his priorities, Ausaf said that he would take an initiative towards the Yemeni President's visit to India and the Indian President's visit to Yemen, in order to strengthen ties between the 2 countries.

Ausaf said that there were 2 million NRIs in Yemen, and that more than 1 lakh Yemenis were settled in India, the majority of whom consisted of Hyderabadis.

Referring to his latest meeting with the President Pratibha Patil, Ausaf said that when the President instructed him to improve relations between the two countries, he assured that he would take all possible initiatives in this regard.

Referring to Indo-Yemen relations, Ausaaf said that the ties between the two countries dated back to the British era of 1836, and that trade with Yemen is worth 2 billion American dollars.

The Ambassador said that there were vast oil and gas reserves in Yemen. According to an estimate, Yemen had 4 billion barrels gas reserves, as the country produces 3.10 lakhs barrel gas daily. He said that Yemen has 17 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves.

Yemen had allotted 11 oil blocks to the foreign companies, out of which 7 blocks were offered to Indian companies. He said that scholarships are being awarded to Yemeni students studying in different educational courses under Indian Cultural Counsel relations and the Indian Technical Education Programme.

Additional Director General of Police Syed Anwarul Huda, recalled the services renderred by Ausaf Sayeed as Consulate General in Saudi Arabia. The Secretary of the Federation of AP Minority Educational Institutions, Zafar Javed, hoped that Ausaf Sayeed would attain new heights in future and would get installed as the Secretary for foreign affairs. On the occasion, Habeeb Al Abdur Rahman Al Attas, Ghiasuddin Babu Khan, Nagarjuna Fertilizers Director P P Singh, Mohammed Bin Saleh al Quiti and others also spoke.

Evincing interest
New Delhi, Sept. 27: Kuwait Petroleum Corporation is keen to pick up a stake in Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) if the government decides to divest a part of its holding to a strategic investor.

â€œThe government is divesting some of its shares, may be offering a certain percentage to a strategic investor. We are interested in such a proposal, subject to feasibility studies and economics of the offer,â€ Kuwaitâ€™s oil minister Sheikh Ahmad al-Abdullah al-Sabah said after a meeting with the IOC management here today.

Indian Oil plans to issue fresh shares amounting to 10 per cent of its equity through a follow-on offer. The government, which owns 78.92 per cent in the PSU, will separately sell 10 per cent of its stake. Al-Sabah insisted that the possibility of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation â€” of which he is the chairman â€” or the Kuwait Investment Authority buying into IOC arose only if the government agreed to give them a strategic stake.

He said Kuwait had discussed with IOC the possibility of increasing long-term crude supplies to the company, which accounted for 28 per cent of the countryâ€™s refining capacity of 3.76 million barrels a day.

Kuwait supplies nine million tonnes of crude per year to IOC, chairman B.M. Bansal said. The companyâ€™s requirement will rise after it commissions the 300,000-barrel-a-day refinery and petrochemical complex at Paradip in Orissa in 2011-12.

Besides discussing long-term contracts for crude to India, al-Sabah deliberated on the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) using the crude storage facilities being built in Mangalore and Visakhapatnam. He said Kuwait was worried about Opec members actually complying with their production quotas and would discuss the matter at the groupâ€™s meeting in Vienna on October 14.

The 12-member cartel is unlikely to change production quotas as current oil prices are â€œcomfortableâ€, he said.

The visiting Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi has welcomed Kuwaitâ€™s decision to scrap the sponsorship system for the recruitment of foreign labour, which is heavily loaded in favour of employers.

â€œThis is a very good decision. It reflects a progressive view of the government. I welcome this decision,â€ Mr. Ravi said during a press conference in Dubai on Monday. The Minister said that he was confident that other countries belonging to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) will follow Kuwaitâ€™s example. Apart from Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar Oman and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are part of the GCC.

On Sunday, the Al Rai newspaper quoted Mohammed Al Afasi, Kuwaitâ€™s Minister of Social Affairs and Labour as saying that the sponsorship system, known locally as Kafeel would be scrapped. Instead, a public

authority in charge of recruiting foreign workers would be established in February. After Bahrain, Kuwait will become the second country in the GCC to establish a new foreign labour recruitment regime.

Under the present system, all foreign workers have to be employed by a Kuwaiti sponsor. The foreign employees can switch jobs or leave the country only with the approval of their sponsor.

Kuwaitâ€™s decision to scrap the sponsorship system caps a series of incremental labour reforms. In December, the Kuwaiti Parliament passed a new labour law that catered for better working conditions for

labour, and jail terms for employers who failed to pay regular salaries, traded in visas or did not provide jobs to workers after recruiting them.

Earlier, addressing a Global Arab Business meeting in Ras Al-Khaimah, Mr. Ravi called upon Arab investors to pitch in their capital in Indiaâ€™s infrastructure development projects, based on a Public Private

Partnership (PPP) model. He pointed out that India was looking for $435 billion investment in the next three years for the development of its infrastructure. The manufacturing sector could also absorb $264 billion.

I understand that there are lots of indian workers in the gulf states, are they predominantly muslim?

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if i am not mistaken the division is more or less 50% each between hindus and muslims. saudis initially insisted on only muslims but indira gandhi told them either the division as proposed by her or no indian will work there and so they had to agree.

^^ I wonder why they wanted only one kind to work in their lands. But today's dealing of Arabs is characterized by balancing between the Shia Persians and Sunni Arabs who hate each other worse than each of them hating the Jews of Israel. So we just need to keep our cards right. Keep the trade going on normal with Sunni Arabs, involve Iranians (Shiite) in Taliban issues with Russia and Tajikistan and Afghanistan and deal with non-Muslims as usual. A balanced approach is what is needed since Muslim world is deeply divided into violent sectarian biases against each other.

^^ I wonder why they wanted only one kind to work in their lands. But today's dealing of Arabs is characterized by balancing between the Shia Persians and Sunni Arabs who hate each other worse than each of them hating the Jews of Israel. So we just need to keep our cards right. Keep the trade going on normal with Sunni Arabs, involve Iranians (Shiite) in Taliban issues with Russia and Tajikistan and Afghanistan and deal with non-Muslims as usual. A balanced approach is what is needed since Muslim world is deeply divided into violent sectarian biases against each other.

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i dont know the nuances as to why they sounded adamant initially to have it that ways but IG told them in as much a blunt manner as she could have that they take hindus in equal numbers else they find people from where ever, and so till date they have prevalent quota system there.

the only two things that the arab world has really to offer are energy resources and oil wealth which the arabs have in abundance. they are already investing in the stock market as FIIs and HNIs through indian proxies, the real intent is to get them to invest in infrastructure sector in form of fdi and other such sectors where they have a certain amount of expertize and more importantly are willing to invest and so india is keen to start the islamic banking, do a non-double taxation treaty with one of the gulf states which gets to be the point from where most FDI gets routed in and be a hub for trade with that regions and put in place a FTA.